Display box



INVENTOR. Ml uroru WEI LL r ATTORNEYS M. WElLL DISPLAY BOX July 21, 1942.

Filed Dec. 23, 1939 Patented July 21, 1942 DISPLAY BOX Milton Weill, New York, N. Y., assignor to Arrow Manufacturing Company Incorporated, Hoboken, N. 1., a corporation of New Jersey Application December 23, 1939, Serial No. 310,737

(Cl. 2061 i) 3 Claims.

This invention relates generally to display boxes, and more particularly to display boxes intended for jewelry, fountain pens, pencils and the like and coordinately to the process for their production.

One of the difficulties attendant upon the business of supplying display boxes to the trade for this type of merchandise is that each order for such boxes generally specifies a design that is not only distinctive and attractive, but that is quite different from what is or has already been on the market. This difference may reside in shape, in size, in finish or in any one of the other factors which determine its attractiveness for display purposes and its effectiveness as a container. The filling of each such order presents a problem complete in itself and the difliculties of which are in no way simplified by experience in the filling of other orders.

The general object of my invention is the production of a display box so that the range of variations in sizes, finishes, contours and the like may be enlarged and the variation readily and quickly effected. This general object I attain by having the display box comprise a central member or portion and end units or pieces to be interchangeably associated together to give the box structure and design.

My invention contemplates that the aforementioned diversification be effected by changes which may be embodied entirely in the end units or entirely in the central member or which may be embodied in both. For example, increase in length can be effected merely by correspondingly increasing the size of the central portion and without requiring any dimensional changes in the end pieces. So also, variations in finishes and contours can be elfected by embodying such variations either in one or the other or both of these portions.

For the attainment of these objects and such other objects as will hereinafter appear or be pointed out, I have illustrated one embodiment of my invention in the drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my display box provided with a cover shown in its closed position;

Figure 1A is a fragmentary view similar to Figure 1, showing an end piece of different design;

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 of my display box with the cover in its raised or open position;

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view substantially on the line 3 of Figure 2 looking in the direction of the arrow;

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view taken through an end of the display box, substantially on the line 4 of Figure 2, lookingin the direction of the arrow; and

Figure 5 is an exploded view of one of the ends of the display box and is illustrative of one manner of assembling the end pieces with the body.

Reference will now be had to the drawing, it being understood that the embodiment shown therein is merely for purposes of illustration and that the description of parts, details and assemblies are also merely illustrative, unless called for by the specific language of the claims.

The box comprises generally a central member or portion A and. the end pieces C. This central member portion A has been illustrated as in effect a complete box structure in itself, and as comprising a cover member B associated therewith in any preferred or desired manner as for example by hinging, and an insert D which carries a display mount E, although it will be understood here again that as to certain phases, my invention is not to be understood as requiring such an arrangement. In the drawing it will also be observed that the end pieces C are shown as right and left duplicates of each other. The end pieces obviously may differ in design and by way of illustration I have shown in Figure 1A an end piece C of a design dilferent from that of the end piece C shown in Figure 1.,

The body A is shown as comprising a main frame II] which may conveniently be made of relatively rigid sheet material, such as sheet metal, so as to provide a flat bottom portion H and upwardly bent front and rear portions [2 and 13 respectively. As can be seen by referring to Figure 5, no upwardly bent end portions are provided. I have found this construction to be convenient and economical although if desired upstanding end portions may be provided at the ends of the bottom portion IE3. It will further be observed from Figure 5 that the ends of the sides l2 and I3 are shown sloped or biased as indicated at l4 and I5 for a purpose that will presently appear.

The body A may have its outer walls covered with ornamental material [6, such as velvet for example, and the ends of the covering material are shown as turned in over'the upper edges of the portions I2 and I3 to an extent sufiicient to provide the necessary ornamentation on the inside of the body portion.

The end pieces or caps C serve peculiarly in a box of this type in which attractiveness, finish, contour lines and dimensions are of paramount importance. In the illustrated embodiment they are shown as made of metal stampings, contoured and designed so that when assembled with the central body or portion they integrate themselves therewith to laterally extend the box structure. These end pieces C may be held in place in any suitable or preferred manner as by rivets or the like. By Way of example I have shown a construction comprising lugs I! and I8 projecting from the inner edges of the end pieces C and adapted to fit into complementary slits l9 and 2| provided respectively in the walls H and I2 of the body portion ID. In order to effect the mounting of an end piece C on the body portion [0, the piece C is positioned on the body A with the end of the latter inserted into the hollow of the former and the lugs l1 and I8 inserted into the slits l9 and 20. After the piece C is in place the lugs l1 and 18 may be doubled over, as indicated by the dot and dash line positions of Figure 5, and the piece C will then be securely held in place.

It will now be clear that because of the peculiar outwardly tapered configuration of the end piece C, as shown in the drawings, the biasing of the ends l4 and I5 of the sides l2 and I3 will facilitate entry of the same into the cap C and also assure a proper fit. Preferably each end piece C overlaps a small portion of the covering material l6 so as to produce a finished appearance.

In order to complete the integration of the parts and give the inside of the end pieces C a finished appearance, as well as to strengthen them, I have shown an insert 21, which is adapted to fit into the open end or mouth of each end piece C and may comprise a fiat relatively rigid body portion l8 covered with ornamental material 23 which may be similar to the material used to cover the body portion A. A spacer 24 may be interposed in the space between the cap and the insert to hold the cap and the said insert in the proper relative positions.

It will be observed that the caps C are shown as having portions extending above the ends of the body so as to face the ends of the cover. They also may, as shown, overlap or abut said cover ends.

While I have described the body A, by way of illustration. as ,covered with ornamental fabric, it may obviously be finished in any suitable or preferred manner, such as by polishing or electroplating it, if it is of metal, or by suitably coating it if it is of metal or of other material. Similarly any suitable or preferred finish may be used for the end pieces C.

It will be understood that the body portions A as well as the end pieces C will be made in various contours, sizes and finishes and that the mounting construction is such that any of the sets of end pieces C is interchangeable with any other set.

In assembling the display case the body portion A is assembled in finished form, and the caps C and members 2| and other parts such as D and E are likewise completed. These parts may be stored before the final assembly, or they may be assembled at .once by a process involving the mounting of the caps C in place on the ends of the body A and the insertion of the spacers 24 and the members 2|. The insert D and the .display mount may thereafter be inserted.

It is to be understood that while I have shown by way of example the ends of the body A as telescoping into the end pieces or caps C that my invention contemplates constructions other than the one shown. For example, the caps might telescope into the body, or the parts might be joined or interfitted otherwise than by telescoping.

The cover D is shown mounted on the back wall l2 by a hinge 25 and as comprising a main body portion 26 of rigid sheet material, such as sheet metal finished in any suitable or preferred manner, as by applying thereto an or namental covering 21, which may be of a character to harmonize or to match with the finish of the body portion. The inner side of the cover B may be finished by applying an insert comprising a relatively rigid frame 28, which may be of pasteboard, covered with a sheet 29 of ornamental material. In order to cover up the hinge construction I may apply a further ornamental sheet 3!) over the end portion of the ornamental sheet 20 of the body portion on the inside of the latter.

The insert D is shown in the form of a flat plate having a depression to receive the display mount E. It is conveniently constructed by providing a base plate 3| on which is carried a second plate 32 having an opening therein and the whole is covered by an ornamental sheet l3. The display mount E is shown as comprising a supporting member 34 of relatively rigid sheet material, such as sheet metal, covered by an ornamental sheet 35 on its outer side and an ornamental sheet 35 on its inner side.

As a further ornamental feature may be mentioned a beaded band 31 mounted on a supporting sheet 38 and adapted for insertion between the front wall l3, and the insert D so that only the heading is visible. As shown in Figures 2 and 5, an ornamental effect is ther 3y produced which I find very effective.

The many advantages of my invention will now be appreciated. The manufacturer, by stocking relatively few parts, is able at short notice to furnish any one of a great variety of contours, finishes and sizes that may be called for. And not merely the manufacturer, but the jobber or dealer, may stock the parts, because the investment is small and the assembly operation so simple that it may be carried out at low cost and without expensive equipment by almost anyone.

While I have herein shown and described one illustrative embodiment of my invention, and described a method of effecting the assembly of parts thereof, it is to be understood that my invention may be embodied in many other forms and practiced in many other ways without departing from the spirit thereof, as will be obvious to those skilled in the art. It is also to be understood that the disclosure herein is by way of illustration merely and is not to be interpreted in a limiting sense and that I do not limit myself other than as called for by the prior art.

Having thus described my invention and illustra ed its use, what I claim as new and desire secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A display container comprising a central assembly and hollow end pieces, the central assembly in turn comprising a body member and an arched cover member, the body member having a fiat bottom, a front wall upstanding from one edge thereof, and a rear wall upstanding from the opposite edge thereof, the cover member being of less width than the body member and being hinged to the top edge of the rear wall thereof and intermediate the ends of the body member, whereby the central assembly with the cover closed forms a container open at its ends and with the body member extending laterally beyond the opposite ends of the cover memher, the hollow end members of the body member having flat bottoms and extending upwardly above the top of the rear wall and arched in conformity with the arching of the cover member so that when assembled with the body member the outside walls of the end members form the side walls of the body member and the flat bottoms of the end members form substantial continuations of the fiat bottom of the body member and the said upward extension forms the end closure for the arched cover member, means for holding the central assembly in assembled relation with the hollow end pieces, with the aforementioned extending ends of the body received therewithin, whereby standard sized ends can be used with body members of various widths to give differently sized containers.

2. A display container comprising a central assembly and hollow end pieces, the central assembly in turn comprising a body member and a cover member, the body member having a flat bottom, a front wall upstanding from one edge thereof, and a rear wall upstanding from the opposite edge thereof, the cover member being of less width than the body member and being hinged to the top edge of the rear wall thereof and intermediate the ends of the body member,

whereby the central assembly with the cover closed forms a container open at its ends and with the ends of the body member extending laterally beyond the opposite ends of the cover member, the hollow end pieces also having flat bottoms so that when assembled with the body member the flat bottoms of the end members form substantial continuations of the flat bottom of the body member, and means for holding the central assembly in assembled relation with the hollow end pieces, with the aforementioned extending ends of the body received therewithin, whereby standard sized end pieces can be used with body members of various widths to give differently sized containers.

3. A display container comprising a body member having a fiat bottom, a front wall upstanding from one edge of said bottom and a rear wall upstanding from the opposite edge of said bottom, and a pair of hollow end pieces, the hollow end pieces being of a height to extend above said front and rear walls and also having fiat bottoms so that when assembled with the body member the fiat bottoms of the end pieces form continuations of the flat bottoms of the body members, means for holding the body member in assembled relation with the hollow end pieces, with the aforementioned extending ends of the body received therewithin, whereby standard sized ends can be used with body members of various widths to give differently sized containers.

MILTON WEILL. 

